Coupling



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

J. S. HUNTER.

COUPLING.

No. 442,809. Patented Dec. 16. 1890 (No Model.)

Q J. S. HUNTER. 2Sheets Sheet 2.

GOUPLIN G.

No. 442,809. Patented Dec. 16. 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JCHN S. IIUN"ER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Ifatent No. 44 2,809, dated December 16, 1890.

' Application filed March 5189( Serial No. 342,533. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN S. HUNTER, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked there on, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to improvements in couplings for pipes or hose.

The general object of my invention is to produce a coupling the two parts of which may be readily united and securely joined together by a simple or single twist of the parts in opposite directions, but which will be readily and easily separated by a simple untwisting of the parts, while at the same time it shall be cheap and durable.

My invention is designed, primarily, for use in connection with steam-heating apparatus employed upon railwaytrains. In such cases it is desirable to have a union or coupling which may be very quickly and easily put together by the train-men, but at the same time one which may be automatically uncoupled or separated when the two cars between which it is located are uncoupled or separated, either by accident or design.

The invention may be applied to other uses, however.

My invention consists in the novel devices and combination of devices hereinafter illustrated and described, but more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view of my improved coupling as applied to the heating apparatus of railway-cars, the same being taken upon line 1 l of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an outside plan View of the same, showing in dotted lines the relative location of the parts when in position to be uncoupled or separated from each other. Fig. 3 is a plan View of one-half of the coupling. Fig. 4 is a central vertical sectional View of a slightly-modified form of the invention when used, preferably, as a coupling .for hose, the same being taken upon line 4 4 of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a plan view of one-half of the form of coupling shown in Fig. 4, and

from the mouth of the shank a around one end of the wall a to the face of the flange a An annular shoulder is formed in the body A for the purpose hereinafter set forth. A. separate part or face-plate C66 is placed over the flange a and may be secured to the flange a by screws or otherwise, or may be cast integral therewith. This face-plate a has a central opening a therein of lesser diameter than the passage-way 0;, thus forming on its under side, in connection with the walls (0 of said passage, a shoulder a D is an annular gasket, preferably of rubher, having a central opening of diameter equal to that of the opening forming the passage-way a through the annular shoulders of. Said gasket is of diameter sufficient to fit within the walls a" of the body portion a and rests against the shoulder a as clearly shown in Fig. l. The under side 01 of the gasket is tapered outwardly, as shown. Beneath the gasket D, but resting against it, is a ring or collar C, having its upper edge flared to register with the flare or taper of the gasket D, and having its under side provided with an annular recess or groove 0.

D is a spiral spring having one end resting in the recess 0 and the other end resting upon the annular shoulders a. By this construction it will be seen that the spring D presses the collar 0 outwardly or toward the flange a thus pressing the gasket D in the same direction against the shoulder a The gasket D is of such depth as to extend at all times slightly beyond the outer face of the cap or plate a.

The part B is shaped and provided precisely similar to the part A above described, corresponding parts being similarly lettered, using B instead of A.

IOC

I depression-groove E E.

In each of the flanges a b is a concentric In each of the faceplates a b are two concentric slots F F, diametrically opposite each other. Each of the slots F F is provided at diametrically-opposite points with an enlargement ff, the width of said slots at the enlargement being equal to the width of the concentric depressions or grooves E E. The width of the slots F F proper being less than the width of said recesses E E, a portion of the face-plates a 1) forms an overhanging shoulder at f f above the grooves E E, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

mit it to enter the enlarged portion ff of the slots F F in the opposite face-plate. It will be obvious that after having entered said slots a simple twist or turn of either the part A or part B will cause the under face or shoulder g of the. studs to engage beneaththe overhanging flanges f f, and thus become locked therewith.

.If the parts A and B are placed in the relative positions indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, with the face-plates a b 'adjacent to each other, the studs G G may be freely inserted in the enlarged portions ff of the slots F F, in which position the outer faces of the gaskets D D will rest against each other. By pressing the parts A and B together slightly for the purpose of compressing the gaskets D D the parts A and B may then, by a turning or twisting motion, be brought into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, with the studs G G securely engaged through the slots F F in the recesses E E, in which position steam or other fluid may freely pass through the passage a b.

The parts A B may be separated by reversing the movement just described, as will be,

obvious. It'will also be obvious that a straight horizontal strain on the stems a b will cause the parts to move in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2 and automatically disengage the parts A and B. Jhis feature is very desirable in case of the accidental uncoupling of the cars, which often occurs and produces more or less damage, but with the use of the present invention will result in no permament injury to the coupling.

I may not always deem it advisable to use two sets of studs G G and two sets of slots F F, and for that reason I have illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 a slightly-modified form, showing but one slot and one stud on each faceplate. In this form the passage-way a, b may extend directly away from the flange a 11 This form will be found very practicable for use with the ordinary water-hose.

It may sometimes be advisable to place the studs G G upon the periphery of the flange or face-plate a I), in which case the enlarged parts ff of the slot in which said studs should fit and engage must also extend to the periphery of the face-plate. Such construction I have shown in Fig. 6. Its operation willbe obvious from an inspection of the drawings Without further exeinplification. In this form it is desirable to cast the faceplate (1. b integral with the flange a W.

hat I claim is- 1. The herein-described two-part coupling,

each member provided with a body portion,

and a flange thereon having a groove or grooves, face-plates secured to said flanges, a slot or slots in said face-plates, and a lug or lugs projecting from the face plates and adapted to enter the slots and grooves in the opposite member.

2. The herein-described two-part coupling, each member provided with a body portion and a flange thereon having a groove or grooves, face-plates secured on said flanges, the stem at 1), interior passages a" 19 shoulders a 12 spring D, ring 0, asket D, projecting slightly beyond the face-plate, the concentric slot or slots F F, each having an enlarged portion, and a lu-g or lugs adapted to engage said slots and grooves.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature iupresence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. HUNTER.

Witnesses:

TAYLOR E. BROWN, GEORGE W. HIGGINS, Jr. 

